Christ Church Vienna

On the last great day of The Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood on the Temple mount a nd declared, “I am the light of the world.” He was claiming to be the God who led Israel in the wilderness, the focus of their future hopes of God’s arrival and salvation. He was also inviting all […]

In John 6, Jesus challenges the crowds and those gathered in the Synagogue by calling himself “The Bread of Life;” the true heavenly bread that all people need to have life. What do you hunger for in life? What fills your soul? Jesus offers himself and the love that can fill our souls and give […]

Jesus takes Peter, James & John up a mountain where he is transfigured, Moses and Elijah appear and the presence and voice of God the Father appears. The disciples fall on their faces terrified. But when they look up it’s just Jesus alone assuring them. Who is this Jesus? Could it be that the Lord […]

Near Caesarea Philippi Jesus asks his disciples–who do people, and you, say that I am? Eventually, Peter declares, “You are the Christ.” And Jesus replies, upon this Rock I will build my church.  But what is the Rock Jesus is talking about and what does it call us to?

In Matthew 14, Jesus feeds the 5000 and walks on water, intentionally pointing to the Exodus–Israel’s foundational narrative. But while the crowds see Jesus as the political solution to their long awaited desires for new exodus and a King with a Kingdom, Jesus life and death declare that his kingdom is not at all what […]

Jesus confronts the Religious leaders understanding of the Sabbath and invites us who are weary and stressed to find our true rest in him, the Lord of the Sabbath.

John the Baptist, languishing in prison, questions and doubts–Jesus, are you the one? Jesus replies, the sick are healed, dead raised and good news is proclaimed to the poor. The kingdom that Jesus came to bring does not look like any other, but everywhere Jesus goes the effects of the fall are undone. Jesus invites […]

In Matthew 8 & 9, the gospel writer recounts 10 miracles, underscoring the authority of Jesus over all things and highlighting the response of those present. He is inviting us, the reader to ask: Who is Jesus? Is he the Christ? Is he the Lord?

*Unfortunately, the main Audio Recording was corrupted so sound quality for this sermon recording is poor. At the Baptism of Jesus, God the Father declares him to be “My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This affirmation of Jesus’s Identity inaugurates and confirms him to the chosen servant. His identity reveals, leads to […]

Instead of looking inward to as we re-orient in the New Year, Paul in Ephesians 1 encourages us to look to God’s promises and all that God has done for us in Christ.

The birth of Christ re-imagined and told from the perspective of “Benjamin” the Inn Keeper in Bethlehem.

Christmas causes us to want to be home for the holidays. But no Christmas tradition and no home can satisfy the depths of our eternal longing for Home, because we are alienated from God. But the Good Tidings of the Angels to the shepherds is that on Christmas God left his home to enter ours […]

Prepare the way of the Lord, Isaiah declares. But how? To prepare you need to know what you are expecting. Our expectations–what we are looking for in life and from God–affect our ability to receive what God is offering.

“As you go,” the Lord instructs through Isaiah. God plans to bring his kingdom like waters and blossoms in the dessert and he invites his people to anticipate and participate in faith, not just to wait around.

The Christmas season rarely lives up to our expectations. This is because, as Isaiah reveals, what we are really longing for is heaven and shalom. And what we truly need is the knowledge of God, the justice of the judge and the hope of the Messiah. Advent is a season to live into that points […]

Isaiah calls Israel to trust Yahweh and not the power of the nations, to live in true wisdom not in human and to walk in the Light in the midst of a dark world. Isaiah is the backdrop and message of Advent and the longing of God to come and right all wrongs.

Our view of where life is going (its’ ends) has profound impacts on our attitude & actions in the present. The Resurrection calls us to a life of Joy, Purpose and Hope–impacting our work and relationships and approach to every experience.

Paul confronts the disunity caused by members of the Corinthian church who thought their gift of speaking in tongues made them spiritually superior. Paul says he would rather speak prophetic message – intelligible words – than in tongues because what matters is loving others and building up the church community.

In the famous “Love” passage in 1 Corinthians, Paul poetically exclaims the highest calling of love–a challenge and calling to the Corinthians to turn from their divisions and live for love of one another. All of us long for love and the God of love–we are made to know and live in both.

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul is correcting division in the church based on expressions of giftings from the Spirit that caused some to view themselves as superior. All have the same Spirit, who gifts all in different ways, but no part is more important in the Body of Christ–in Christ, all are equal. Rather the […]

1 Corinthians 11 & Matthew 5 On the 8th Anniversary of CCV, Johnny Kurcina looks at Paul & Jesus’ vision for the people of God and applies it Christ Church Vienna and its identity and calling as a church community.

Paul addresses the issue of meat sacrificed to idols and calls on the “strong” of conscience to constrain their rights and freedoms out of loving concern for the “weak” in the church. Christians are to willingly give up what is theirs for the sake of others and the gospel.

In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul addresses singles and married people, calling them to faithfulness to their current station in life and devotion and service to the Lord. The way he elevates singleness challenges the modern church’s emphasis on nuclear families and calls us to find ways to cultivate deeper friendships and extended family community in […]